A photonic apparatus made from a stretchable and flexible material is provided. The apparatus may be a garment is especially suitable for wearing around, for example, the torso of a person. The garment provides a wearer with light therapy within a specific wavelength range, which replicates the beneficial natural light of the sun therein providing health benefits that may include treatment of various medical conditions. The garment may take the form of a blanket, wrap, belt, cape, vest, hood, cap, headband, shirt or the like. The light source may include light emitting diodes (LEDs), optical fibers or solid-state light emitting chips, which may be contained in a removable light transmitting pouch within the interior of the apparatus, so that the light may be powered by an internal power source to provide freedom of movement during treatment. In an embodiment, the light source is removably housed within the pouch wherein the pouch itself may be removed from the interior of the apparatus to be charged and replaced in the apparatus for wireless treatment use.
Sunlight has been used as therapy dating back to ancient times. Noted historian from the 5th century B.C, Herodotus, chronicled the practice of using the sun for its health properties. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, recognized the benefits of the sun and treated all of his wearers with sunlight in a solarium.
The invention of artificial sunlight was brought to notoriety when Dr. Niels Finsen won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1903 for curing skin tuberculosis with ultraviolet light generated by mercury lamps. Since then, light therapy has been used for the treatment of many conditions including ill health, mood disorders and skin conditions. Widespread benefits for over 165 illnesses have been shown by safe controlled sun, UVB exposure, red and infrared light therapy including: enhanced mood and energy, skin issues such as acne and psoriasis, lowered blood pressure, decreased cholesterol, pain relief, infections like the flu and the common cold.
Light therapy has also been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disorders, neurological disorders such as pain, traumatic brain injury, concussion, MS, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Phototherapy is currently also used extensively for treatment of skin disorders and bilirubin in infants. Low ultraviolet light exposure has been correlated to an increased risk for many conditions. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a mood disorder caused by decreased exposure to the sun, which affects over five hundred thousand Americans. Prevalent neurological disorders are also correlated with low UVB exposure such as Parkinson's effecting one million Americans, multiple sclerosis effecting two million Americans, and Alzheimer's effecting over five million people in the U.S. Sun and certain wavelengths of light exposure have also been shown to aid in the treatment and prevention of pain, traumatic brain injury, and concussion, which have become leading causes of death worldwide. Additionally, in the largest study of its kind, the sun exposure habits of thirty thousand women was examined over twenty years in Sweden and sun avoidance was found to be inversely correlated with all-cause mortality, which led researchers to conclude that sun avoidance was a risk factor for all causes of death.
Current light therapy devices on the market often produce beneficial wavelengths through mercury, halide, or fluorescent lamps. Providing phototherapy utilizing these large lamps requires large amounts of energy that usually creates tremendous heat and restricts the device from being portable. Additionally, the user must wear glasses and must stand at a specific distance from the lamps to utilize the energy effectively. The efficacy of these light therapy devices is dependent on wavelength, amount of surface area treated, and the distance of the light source to the skin. The present apparatus seeks to improve upon the current methods, apparatus and control systems for light therapy.
The present apparatus overcomes limitations of the prior phototherapy devices and creates a portable and wearable device that is beneficial for those with conditions treatable by light therapy, phototherapy, photo-modulation as well as people who may not have access to the sun due to geographical location, climate, and health reasons.